


The Return Of The Prince

by Tigre5s



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-11-28 16:52:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11422149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigre5s/pseuds/Tigre5s
Summary: A short response to the prompt: Begin a story with the line "I would have never _____ if _____".I may or may not continue this depends on the responses.





	1. The Return of The Prince

“I never would have married you if I had known that Severus was alive.”

Those where the last words she said before she walked out of my life.

I slumped down on the stairs of our colonial style home near Grimmauld Place and felt shards of my heart slog through my veins down my spine and into my shoes. As the numbness set in, I wondered if she had ever loved me in that moment. Deep down I knew the answer was no. Not the way I had wished she would. Never like she had Severus. She’d never come to me. I pursued her after the war, albeit clumsily, because I'd hoped her feelings for Snape were just a phase. I thought that once we were married that victory was mine. Her love was mine but I knew, somewhere beneath the denial and the hope I knew, she was never mine.

I wanted to protest all the time she'd been spending at work after he'd suddenly resurfaced. I couldn't tell her not to got to work though, could I? The greasy git was teaching again at Hogwarts only now he had managed to acquire the defense against the dark arts position.

Hermione has been the potions professor for the last 2 years. A position she'd taken in memory of her beloved Severus. She’d never hidden the fact that she still loved him. Potions NEWTs had the highest enrollment in history since she had started teaching. I never did understand the stuff. She'd come home and talk about her day and I would nod, not understanding a word.

One day she'd stepped from the fireplace practically beaming. I had never seen her so radiant. I fully expected a long winded explanation of another great brewing session or some fantastic discovery she’d made through her independent study. To the contrary however she said nothing particularly remarkable had happened. Only that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had started today. I shrugged and let it go. That class didn’t hold very many pleasant memories for me so I’d rather not dwell on it. I just pity the poor souls who had to attend it now and I am grateful that it’s no longer me. It wasn't until I saw the Quibbler the next morning that I started putting pieces together.

“The Prince Returns” the headline read, with a dark haired wizard blocking cameras with his hand as he made his way through the gates at Hogwarts.

“After nearly 5 years the unsung hero Severus Snape returns to Hogwarts. Rumor has it that the powerful former death eater has been in hiding as he assisted Aurors ferret out remaining supporters of the dark lord. Lucius Malfoy was arrested and sentenced last night after being revealed as the defacto leader of the remnants of the war.”

I watched her floo to work as I do every morning. Though she returned every night like a wife should I’m not so big a fool as to not know she left her heart at Hogwarts.


	2. I want to be her knight.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1 month before Hermione walks out on Ron...

For the past 4. Years I've had one thought. 

Hermione. 

In the morning while I conversed with the Aurors on the case. In the afternoon when I devised plans to trap enemies of the wizarding world. At night when I couldn't sleep. 

Hermione. 

I couldn't go to her knowing what dangers lurked about every corner. But now with Lucius and his lackeys safely locked away in Azkaban I could finally return to her. I wanted to kill the Weasley boy while I was still underground but the ministry wouldn't hear of it of course. Some nonsense about it not being reasonable. Watching their wedding from a distance was far more painful than the crucio curse and at least that pain faded…. eventually. Knowing day in and day out for the last 245 days that fumbling red headed fool was lying next to my witch, touching my witch, kissing my witch nearly drove me mad. 

Why had I held back before? Propriety? What should that matter to me? A sworn double agent of questionable morals at best...why did I care that it wasn’t right to treat her as a woman, my woman, and not a student. 

Then I recalled her words as our lips separated what seemed an eternity ago. “I trust you, Severus. You would never take advantage of me.” One night. One unsolicited, unexpected moment of joy from what should have been an utter nightmare and suddenly I was a man of principle. I swore that when I had her again it would be everything she deserved. Untainted by duty or guilt for either party.

“I am no nobleman. I want to be though. I want to be worthy of her lips, her love. I want to be her knight…” I spoke allowed to no one while I buttoned my frock coat in the mirror. My room was empty as I was getting dressed. 

Today, I return to her in one form or another, friend or lover. Though I suppose friend is the obvious form considering that damned wedding. The wedding, the last time I saw her in person and not via a mirror or some other such contraption. It was a homely affair conducted in the park near Godric’s Hallow. I watched with an icy stare from the nearby forest. It was a cool London morning and the entirety of the living Weasley clan was in attendance, along with Potter, Lovegood, Longbottom, the Patil twins and Minerva. 

Ronald stood looking every ounce the fool at the altar awaiting Hermione. I wanted to hex him into oblivion for daring to take such a liberty as her hand in marriage, but when I saw her round the hedge as she prepared for her march down the aisle, her face was lighter than I had seen in years. She even held a partial smile on those pretty pink lips. She was nothing short of a vision in a simple platinum white gown with her hair pinned up and decorated with roses so black they looked dark green. 

I had almost thought this was truly goodbye but her beauty couldn’t conceal her wooden demeanor and I could tell she meant none of those vows. She moved like a wooden doll during her march. How could she mean any of this? We both knew that no one could replace each other. Or did I? Were these the delusional thoughts of a man lost in love? I endured it however as I saw her slow descent into depression and near madness without me over the past 4 years. After all I had no way to know when or if my service would end. The Weasley was an adequate distraction. At least she seemed to be productive again. If she is happy than I will do the best I can to be happy for her, I told myself, though I knew it was a bold faced lie as soon as I thought it.

They kissed but it ended far too quickly for there to be any passion between them. I remember cursing under my breath and stomping off to keep from throwing a forbidden curse at the dunderhead.

I shake my head of the memories. I am free now, however, and I will not be parted from her any longer. She may be another’s wife but I refuse to lose her as a friend as well as a lover. No matter how much this will slowly kill me inside. Suddenly I am very glad we had not been intimate again after that night. If we had, maintaining a platonic friendship now would prove even more perilous. That night was nearly 5 years ago and the thought still causes me to stir. I grab my wand and apparate to the gates of Hogwarts. I suppose the news of my involvement with Lucius’s capture must not be public yet as evidenced by the lack of reporters at the gate. 

“Or they just don’t know where to find you.” Minerva said as she unlocked the gate. She was not surprised to see me but she was concerned when I inquired of Prof. Grangers where abouts.

“You mean Professor Weasley?” she asked with a knowing smirk. I glowered at her.

“Yes,”I replied. I never acknowledge that she would take his name and Minerva’s casual correction tasted like an earwax flavored everyflavor bean on my tongue.

I went to my old classroom at Minerva’s instruction and there she was. A picture of perfection with her hair tied back into a neat afro with a wide black and silver ribbon. She held a black quill as she graded stacks of papers. She was as beautiful as I remembered and I was breathless. All I could do was stare. The door shut with a dull thud and she looked up with a smile as if she were about to speak. I continued to stare as this moment hit me both surreal and heavy. Then she broke into tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were number of directions I considered with this story and tbh I'm still not sure chose the right one. Hope you guys like it so far. I'll try to get the next part up soon but I'll be honest I've never written anything out side of one shot smut so I apologize for the tarantino-esque format because actual plots are a bit of a weak point for me. Thanks for reading!!!!!


	3. Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione has a beautiful dream.

I awoke to warmth and familiarity.  The room was dimly lit and there were a pair of strong arms around me. I stared at the roaring fire across the room and sighed in contentment. I nestled into the chest of my love and inhaled his all too tempting musk. He always smelled so appealing. Like a forest in late summer, all warm wood and moss. I delighted in the fact that no one else knew his scent like I did, as intimately as I did. 

Idly his hand stroked my arm. Gentle, fluttering strokes that left goosebumps in their wake. I shifted pressing myself more firmly against him. He did not move. I nuzzled into his shoulder then looked up into those beautiful obsidian eyes. How I missed those eyes and their intense scrutiny. He quirked the corner of his mouth up into a smirk. I smiled fondly remembering what often followed that smirk. 

I ran a hand up his chest and cupped his jaw briefly before sliding my hand behind his ear to card through the slightly greasy curtain of midnight that was his hair. I stroked and fingered the strands lightly as my mind drifted a million miles away reminiscing the numerous outcomes that began with this very gesture. The last time I did this only moments later my love, my prince, had died. The beginnings of tears cloud my vision as I continue torturing myself by touch. I shake my head gently trying to remind myself that this is but a dream or hallucination at best.

I look into his eyes again and take in every line of his hard angular face. No onlooker would perceive his regard for me at first glance but to anyone who knew him, knew us, they would not dare question where we stand. My lips tremble as think of how I betrayed him. Or rather how I feel I’ve betrayed him. I stare into his eyes and I think of my sham marriage and curse my weakness. Wouldn’t it have been better to stay alone and true than to try and move on with a man so inadequate when compared to the love of my life?

“No,” he says, “I would never want to see you so sad or lonely ever again.” His voice is so firm and sure that I almost question that this a dream. I look down at his chest and the light dusting of dark hair there on. I smirk again thinking of how I’m probably the only woman alive and free that has ever seen him in such undress. The thought rises color to my cheeks and I lie my head on his chest. My fingers trace up and down his right forearm. I could stay here in this dream forever.

“Severus,” I exhale his name more than speak it. A plea and a prayer that I should never wake from this moment. If only there were magics that could make it so without a severe lack of nutrition.

“Yes, love”, with my head on his chest his baritone rolled through me like lightning. The tears threatened again but I pushed them back deciding that since this is a dream I should enjoy it. I slid my hand suggestively over his abdomen and chest and felt his breath catch. 

“I miss you,” I whispered as I began undoing the rest of the buttons on his white oxford shirt. 

“I'm here now,” he said, gathering my hand to his lips. He placed a kiss on the inside of my palm and held my hand in place on his chest. 

I looked back up into his eyes with a sad smile, “I love you.”

“But you’re married,” he snarked. His tone was playful but I felt as though I’d been struck. The tears started actually falling this time. I felt like the world had fallen on my chest. I straddled him and held his face in my hands as I started to repent and beg for him to forgive me.  

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did it. It was a welcome distraction from the pain, from the emptiness, from missing you. I-,” my rant was cut short by his lips. 

Suddenly, I was in an embrace so tight, so fiercely possessive, I realized with shock and joy that I was not dreaming.  Severus was here in bed with me and I in his arms and his tongue in my mouth. Elated and delirious at this fact I returned his kiss and was almost giddy with the warmth of him between my thighs. It was as if the world suddenly burst to life again. Or maybe I had snapped. Maybe the grief and  anger has finally pushed me over the edge. I whimpered into his mouth deciding that as long as this apparition stayed with me I’d be fine in St. Mungo’s. Here in this mad world of mine the dull tones of hidden sadness and forced acceptance evaporated with every second my lips were in contact with his. My dream, my fantasy, my prince has returned and the world is wonderful again.

I rocked against his hardness and was about to deepen the kiss when he suddenly wrenched me away from his lips pushing me nearly upright away from him.

He shook his head slowly and in near breathlessness said ,”We can’t…”. 

In that moment I knew I was neither mad nor dreaming. I felt as if I had been broken in half. One side elated for mixed reasons and the other horrified for the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No clue where I'm going with this so suggestions are much appreciated. I have new respect for novelists now because dear lord its hard to predict what characters will do from start to finish. I hope you guys enjoyed it though. Cheers!


	4. I Swear

It took almost every ounce of strength I had to pull away from her. Hearing her regrets of being married to that oaf infuriated me. So I kissed her. I kissed her to calm her, to calm myself. It is not how I would have liked our first kiss to have been shared after my return but of all my crimes as a double agent death-eater I’ll gladly accept the charge of homewrecker. She was well of age now and so at least that particular barrier that kept me from the sweetest of joys is now gone. Nevertheless, I overestimated my resolve when she began to respond. It was my own fault. I never should have took hold of her riotous curls. I liken it to grabbing a bull by the horns. I was just asking to be pounced on. It was as if a dying candle suddenly took hold of a barn full of hay. I could have warmed the whole school with the passion she suddenly burned with. But knowing how awful she would feel once sated, knowing she would hate herself for her weakness (and perhaps me for igniting it) and knowing that I wanted nothing more than to love and protect her even from herself I pushed her from me. 

”We can’t…” I whispered but the loss and tears I saw on her face nearly shattered my resolve. I pulled her against my chest and continued.

“I know you were lost and sad. I watched you descend into despair and listlessness from afar. I wanted so much to tell you I was alive and well and beg you to wait for me, for us, for this, but it would have put you in danger and  jeopardized the mission. Luna tried to-”

“Luna?” she hissed turning to stone in my arms,”Did she know you were alive?”

I was unsure how to answer.  I’d sent her to keep watch over Hermione but the two never seemed to really hit it off. Luna  stayed accessible to Hermione at my request but I fear I may have sent her to late. Hermione had already begun showing signs of long term depression by the time I realized the Weasley’s and Ms. Lovegood weren’t up to the task of consoling her. 

The truth always seemed to be best when possible so, “Yes. She knew but I swore her to secrecy. Not even the ministry knew she was aware of the operation.” 

Again she dissolved into tears in my arms and all I could do was hold her and try to hold myself together for both our sakes. She trembled in my arms whether from rage or from sadness I am unsure.However, lying in my old large and familiar four poster with her in my arms in desperate need of affection and care was taking more strength than facing down the dark lord those many years ago.

 

**_5 Years Earlier_ **

 

I found her waiting for me in our usual meeting place just outside of their camp. She was beautiful and her wild hair suited her even more so in this setting. I stepped from the shadows, “Hermione, over here.” She turned and smiled in that way she always does. Full of gratitude and joy even in the most dire circumstance. 

I hand her the care package of dried foods and blankets and inwardly curse that I am not able to stay and keep her warm myself. I banish the thought a soon as as it surfaces. 

_ Get a grip, Severus. We are in the middle of a war. This is no time for romantic flights of fantasy. Besides she’s half your age.  _

She takes the package brushing my hand as she does so. I look at her expecting an apology or something but instead she says “Your skin is so warmer than I expected but just as soft as I remember.” She begins to blush and at this moment I become acutely aware that she has not withdrawn to acceptable personal space boundaries. 

“A simple charm. I’m sure you’re familiar with already.” I say as I begin to take my leave. I am three or four steps away when when she calls me.

“Severus...” her use of my first name is startling and thrilling reminding me vividly of the last time she said it. I am suddenly very afraid of what that tone means. What it implies. I turn to face her a reprimand poised at the edge of my tongue but I never get to say it. 

She grabs me about the waist and hugs me. “Thank you. You risk so much to help us poor fools out here and I appreciate that so very much.” 

I sigh in relief. This is just an overt display of gratitude. Typical Gryffindor behavior. Reacting so childishly to what anyone would, or at the very least should do for the greater good of us all. 

I begin to dislodge her arms from about my waist. “Yes well I can not say it is a pleasure.” 

She laughs. Full fits of laughter as she lies her head against my chest. As if I suddenly became the most entertaining wizard in the world. 

“Severus, why must you always be so distant? We are in a war. No one will begrudge you showing more than one emotion,” she manages to get out between giggles her curls bouncing this way and that. Again reminding me of that night.

“I will never stop if it entertain you so.”

Her laughter stills and I realize I’ve spoken aloud. She looks up at me, into my eyes, with a soft blush on her face.

_ Can you see it, Severus? My want of you? My admiration? How I adore that you challenge me? I want too, Severus. I have not forgot. _

I have never experienced someone thinking words at me. Someone aware of my legilimency as I was using it and openly communicating to me via such a medium. I am momentarily stunned. Stunned at her confession and ability. It is not until her eyes flutter closed that realise she is raising herself on tiptoe towards me. Her lips so close I can feel her breath on mine. It would be nothing to just ….

“Hermioneeeeee!” the sound of the Potter boy brings us back to reality. I take the chance to step away from her and gain some distance before I apparate away.

“Hermioneeee!!!”, he calls again a bit closer this time. I look back. I shouldn’t have looked back but I did. We locked eyes once more.

_ Deny it all you wish. I know you see me as I see you too and we will be together again if I have to cast the curse myself this time. _ Followed by an image of the kiss that almost happened. She smirks at least I suppose that’s her version of smirking.

I apparate before she can give me anything else to distract me.

 

**_Back at present_ **

 

“I’m sorry.” The words are inadequate and I am loath to say them but it is all I have to offer here in this moment. 

“I can not change the past but I am here now and I will never leave your side again.” 

“Promise?” she asked.

“I swear, by the moon and stars in the sky.”


End file.
